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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 18, 2004

S. Korean court asks President Roh to attend hearing

South Korean Constitutional Court decided Thursday to ask President Roh Moo-hyun to attend its first public hearing late this month on the National Assembly's passage of his impeachment last week, the court's head said.


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South Korean Constitutional Court decided Thursday to ask President Roh Moo-hyun to attend its first public hearing late this month on the National Assembly's passage of his impeachment last week, the court's head said.

"We decided to call in both sides, President Roh and chairman Kim Ki-chun of the National Assembly Judiciary-Legislative Committee, to listen to their arguments at a hearing slated for March 30," said Yun Young-chul, president of the court.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Council of Justices, the court's highest decision-making body composed of all nine justices, which was convened to deliberate on the impeachment passed by the Assembly last Friday.

However, Roh has conveyed to the court his intention not to attend and instead send his defense team, according to his lawyers.

In a statement submitted to the court on Wednesday night, Roh's lawyers said it is not mandatory for the President to appear at the hearing, noting the law stipulates that the hearing can proceed even without the presence of the President.

However, Roh's defense team did not completely rule out the possibility of the President's attendance, saying that the court is required to provide the most honorable treatment for Roh if he does attend.

The court has 180 days to decide whether to accept or reject Assembly's impeachment of President Roh for alleged election law violations.

Source: agencies


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